


My Blind Spot

by FrostyFingers



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-05
Updated: 2014-04-05
Packaged: 2018-02-05 22:44:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1834927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FrostyFingers/pseuds/FrostyFingers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Being undercover, with him of all people, was the last thing she wanted to be. - My first try on a Blacklist fanfiction. Lizzington all the way. Rated T, but one chap might be Rated M. A proper warning will be given. Thanks for reading.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first try on a The Blacklist story. I'm madly in love with the idea of Lizzington, so that's where we're headed. I'd like to thank my wonderful beta jackandsamforever, for sacrificing her time to do me this favor. You were always very encouraging. Thank you so much.
> 
> All mistakes are mine and mine only.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own The Blacklist or any of its characters. I just love using them for my purposes

Chp. 1

Being undercover, with him of all people, was the last thing she wanted to be. That smug look on his face, when Cooper had told her that she was the one joining him, had made her want to hurt him. Badly. They were currently in Laglio, at Lake Como. It was beautiful, there was no denying it. Still, Liz had better plans than to be here, in Europe, with one of the FBI's most wanted men. The Hotel was big, huge even, and she still hadn't been told just what exactly she was looking for there.

"Ms. Keen." She heard Dembe say from behind her, as she turned to look at him. "Mr. Reddington would like to talk to you in the suite." Liz nodded and followed the tall, muscular man inside. He was about to open the door for her, when she put a hand on his arm.

"You can call me 'Liz', you know?" She told him, a smile on her face.

He nodded and gave her a brief smile in return, before opening the door to his boss' room.

"Lizzie! How nice of you to join me," Red said from where he was leaning against the bar, a huge grin plastered on his face. "Would you care for a drink?"

She chose not to reply and instead crossed her arms over her chest. "Dembe said you wanted to talk to me."

"Ah, yes, Dembe. He is a good man, isn't he?

"Cut the crap, Red. What do you want?"

He studied her for a moment, his eyes boring into her. "Lizzie, our main reason for being here in this beautiful place is sadly not for pleasure. Though, I think we could fit pleasure in our busy schedule as well. It is very beautiful, almost cinematic. Astoundingly gorgeous, don't you think?

"You just love hearing yourself talk, don't you?" She retorted.

Red ignored her comment and stepped closer to her. "Lizzie, our target's name is Salvatore Gambino. He's an international arms dealer with close ties to Syria and Iran. He wants me to get him and his staff to the US. He's number 65 on the list."

"What do you need me for?" She asked.

He gave her a wicked smile. " You just do what you do best; which is looking beautiful and being your charming self."

Liz tried her hardest not to blush at his words, then straightened her back and attempted to look nonchalantly at him. The light crinkle at his eyes told her that he had noticed the effect his words had on her.

"Then let's find Mr. Gambino and get this over with," she said and turned to leave.

His hand on her arm stopped her. "Ah, Lizzie. We need to discuss your choice of wardrobe." Before she could even form a reply his hand had slipped down to hers and he pulled her along.

THE BLACKLIST

"You can't be serious!" She exclaimed.

"I don't understand your hesitation, Lizzie, this is quite beautiful," he answered, holding up the dark blue dress.

"Do you realize how short that thing is?!"

"That is exactly the point, Sweetheart", he smiled and pressed the dress in her hands, "You'll turn heads and make extracting the information a lot easier. Go try it on, Lizzie, give it a chance." He gave her a slight push towards the bathroom.

It had been a while since she'd disappeared into the bathroom and Red was getting frustrated with waiting. "Lizzie, I do realize you're a woman, but the amount of time that you're spending in there getting a dress on is ridiculous." He leaned against the wall next to the bathroom, and looked at his watch.

"I'm not sure about this, Red," came her voice.

The hesitation and nervousness in it made him stand up straight. "I'm sure you look wonderful”, he gently coaxed. The door opened slowly and Liz walked out, clearly unsure of her appearance. She turned and looked at him, not sure what to do with herself.

The dress fit her like a glove, hugging her curves in all the right ways and ending just above her knee. Her back was a whole different story, since the dress didn't cover her shoulders and the skin down to her tailbone.

Red had a hard time breathing and was struggling to swallow due to the sudden dryness in his mouth. That was a whole new feeling for him. He must have been silent for too long, because Liz dropped her head in shame, which pulled him back to reality.

"Lizzie, you look absolutely stunning. I'm afraid I'm at a loss for words." She raised her head and looked at him, probably anticipating a sarcastic remark.

"Are you sure?" She asked, and his heart clenched at the tone of her voice. She sounded so unsure of herself.

"Yes," he said and stepped up to her, bending forward to place a kiss to her temple while whispering into her ear.

"I'll have to keep a close eye on you, I'm afraid." When he pulled back, he saw that her eyes were closed and he wondered if that sorry excuse of a husband had ever told her how stunning she was. "Why don't you put on those pumps over there and we'll go eat."

She followed his directions and for the first time he could see just how well that dress looked from behind. "Do you even realize how beautiful you are?" He saw her shudder and had to smile. When she had put on her shoes he lost the slight advantage in height, as she was now just as tall.

He pulled out a jewelery box and opened it. Inside was a necklace that looked more expensive than anything she'd ever worn. "Allow me?" She turned and lifted her hair for him, so he could fasten the necklace around her.

"It's beautiful, Red," she told him.

"Not as beautiful as you," he answered and placed a small kiss on her exposed neck.

A knock on the door pulled them away from each other as Dembe came in. "Raymond, dinner will be served shortly." He turned to leave, but then looked back at Liz again. "You look beautiful, Liz." She gave him a shy smile as he left, closing the door behind him.

"So you're on first name base now?" She couldn't tell if there was jealousy in his voice.

"Dembe is a good man," she decided to answer.

"That he is," Red agreed, "Shall we?" He held out his arm and she took it without hesitation. He felt warm and comfortable and smelled really good. Just now she realized that he was wearing a tuxedo himself.

"You know, you don't look half bad yourself," She said, bumping slightly into him and trying to lose the nervousness.

"Well, thank you, Lizzie. I'm sure I look even better with such a gorgeous woman on my arm."

"Red," she slapped his arm playfully, "You need to stop that."

"Stop what?" He asked and then pulled her with him. They reached the restaurant and Red spotted their target immediately. "Salvatore! It's so good to see you," he greeted the tall man. "Salvatore, this is my assistant, Elizabeth. Lizzie, meet Salvatore Gambino."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Elizabeth," Gambino said as he took the opportunity to kiss her cheeks.

"It's nice to meet you, too, Mr. Gambino. And it's Liz," She answered.

"Sonny." He smiled at her. "And my old friend, Ray. How are you?"

They exchanged pleasantries over dinner and were about to talk about business when a young man walked up to them and began speaking to Salvatore.

"Papa, deve parlare con tuoi gente. La misura di sicurezza in questo posto è incredibile." The boy spoke quickly and seemed to be in a hurry.

Salvatore turn to Red and Liz. "This is my son, Arcangelo. Arcangelo, you've met Ray. This is his assistant Liz."

The good looking young man turned to look at her. "Please excuse my manners. Normally I would never miss such a beautiful lady. My deepest apologies, I'm all yours now, Liz." He gave her a charming smile.

"How about Arcangelo here shows you around, Liz, while old Ray and I conduct our business."

"That'd be lovely. Thank you for dinner, Sonny." Liz said, giving the older man a smile. "I'll see you later, Raymond." She enjoyed the flicker of surprise that came to Red's eyes at the use of his full name.

THE BLACKLIST

Arcangelo led her to a huge garden full of roses and they sat down on a bench, talking nonsense and sharing some laughs.

"Nickname you absolutely despise?" He asked her a while later.

"Betty," She answered with a groan.

The Italian laughed. "Some friends call me Jelly! That's much worse!"

"Jelly?!" Liz laughed.

"Well, Arcangelo, Angelo, Gel-O, Jelly..." He smiled when she grinned. "You have a beautiful smile... Hey, how about some champagne on our new found friendship! I have a bottle up in my suite. You up for it?"

"Umm..yeah, I guess," she replied and stood with him.

"Ms. Liz?" Dembe came from out of nowhere and Angelo stepped away to give them some privacy. "You shouldn't do this."

"Shouldn't do what? I'm only going for a drink, Dembe. I'll be fine."

"Liz, your bodyguard cam come pick you up in an hour. Let's go. Champagne is waiting!" Angelo called out.

"I'll see you later, Dembe. Come save me if I don't return." She winked at him and then followed the young Italian to his room; she didn't see the look of concern on Dembe's face as they walked away.


	2. Chapter 2

After what seemed like an eternity and several glassed of alcohol, Liz walked into the suite she shared with Red. He was sitting on the sofa, a glass of scotch in his hand. "Look who's returned. Were you having fun, Agent Keen?" He snarled.

"What do you mean?" She asked, clearly confused by his behavior.

"Were you having fun playing around with little Angelo?" He asked again.

She sat down on the sofa next to him, but ignored his words. "I have some useful information. You should probably check it out."

"Oh, how far one can get by being a floosy," He shot at her.

The moment those words had left his mouth, Liz slapped his left cheek, hard, then stood up. "How dare you, you bastard! While you were 'conducting your business', I got that guy so drunk he spilled their plan and I even managed to get onto his laptop and got the information on here. " She threw a USB device against his chest and turned to leave.

As soon as Red realized what he had said, he stood, fully intending to follow her. "Lizzie -"

"Fuck you, Reddington," She spat and left the suite, slamming the door behind her.

Red took a calming breath and then left the suite as well, running into his loyal friend. "Dembe, have you seen Lizzie?"

"She ran right past me. What did you do, Raymond?" He could see the red mark on his cheek where Liz had hit him.

"That's a long story. This way?" He asked, already moving.

"Yes and Raymond, don't make her angry. I would hate to collect your body," He joked.

THE BLACKLIST

Red found her sitting on a bench overlooking the lake. Her shoulders were hunched and her hands were clasped in her lap. He slowly walked up to her and sat down on the bench. "Lizzie -"

"Just fuck off...." She said, her voice sounding hoarse and tired.

"I'm sorry, Lizzie. My remark was tasteless and utterly uncalled for." He watched as she shook her head, a tear dropping from her lashes. "I apologize. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"Yes, you did," She said.

He cringed. He had meant to hurt her. "Believe me when I tell you that my judgment was clouded by jealousy."

She looked at him and the moonlight reflected on her tear-streaked face. "Why would you be jealous? We're here to get information. You told me to turn heads, I don't understand..."

"I know you don't." He gave her a soft smile, holding a single rose out for her to take. "I'm sorry, Lizzie."

That was the third time he had apologized and he had even taken the time to collect one of those beautiful roses. She took it from his hands, holding it close to her nose and taking a deep breath. "You know that his is illegal," She joked.

"It doesn't matter," He replied.

She looked him in the eyes and saw just how serious he was. Giving him a small smile, she laid her head on his shoulder. The sigh that escaped his lips made her realize just how serious he was about his apology. She felt the weight of his arm settling around her shoulders and he pressed a kiss in her hair.

"Red?"

"Lizzie?" She loved their little game.

"Why would you feel jealous?" A soft breeze from the ocean made her shiver.

"Let's take this inside. I don't want you to turn into ice." He stood and pulled her with him. Shrugging out of his jacket, he gently placed it around her shoulders. She gave him a grateful smile. "Come on, Sweetheart," He said in a voice that made her stomach flutter.

Putting his arm around her, he steered them back into their shared suite. Once there they walked towards Liz' bedroom.

"Red?"

"Yes, Lizzie?"

"Will you sleep with me?" She turned crimson as soon as she realized what she had said. "Oh my god, I mean -"

"I know what you meant, Lizzie," He chuckled, "Are you sure?"

"I'm not so sure about the people here. It'd make me feel a lot safer," She told him truthfully.

"I'll have Dembe keep an eye open," He said, walking into his own bedroom, "And Lizzie?" She raised her head to look at him. "I'll be with you in a moment."

THE BLACKLIST

A little while later, Liz walked out of her en-suite bathroom only to find Red in her bed. She would've never taken him for someone to wear satin pajamas, but she probably should have known better. He was reading something, and only looked up when he felt her staring at him.

"'I love NY', Lizzie? Really?" He was referring to the nightshirt she was wearing. She was also wearing shorts that showed off most of her slender legs.

"Did you want me to pack the FBI shirt?" She retorted as she crawled onto her side of the bed.

"If it makes you feel better, you can take it off. I don't mind," He grinned at her.

"You wish." She let her head fall onto the pillow and some wild strands fell onto her face. Red gently tucked them behind her ear. "What are you reading?"

"The only thing worth reading that was lying around here, 'Hamlet'."

"Will you read to me?" She closed her eyes as his deep voice softly read out the next lines.

"Doubt though the stars are fire; Doubt that the sun doth move; Doubt truth to be a liar; But never doubt I love."

THE BLACKLIST

Liz woke up completely relaxed and warm. She turned her head a little, intending to bury her face in the pillow, but instead of finding the soft cushion, her face came in contact with the crook of a man's neck. Red's neck to be exact.

She stopped moving and held her breath, trying to hear any sounds from the man that was lying almost completely under her. How had that happened?

"Don't forget to breathe, Lizzie." His voice sounded alert and not sleepy like she'd hoped, his warm breath tickling over her hair.

"You're awake," Came her sleepy reply.

"Why, yes, I must admit I was a little startled when you threw your leg over my hip," He said and she could feel the rumble from where her hand was lying on his chest, close to his heart. Just then Liz realized that she was practically wound around him.

"Oh my god," She exclaimed and pushed away from him, "I'm so sorry."

Red pushed himself into a sitting position, leaning against the head board. "Relax, Lizzie. I don't mind. I didn't think I would make a good pillow though."

She was sitting on her side of the bed, feet on the ground. "You make a great pillow," She said, her voice muffled since she had her face hidden in her hands, "But that was totally inappropriate and I apologize.

She felt his hand against her back and wondered why she hadn't noticed him moving. "Lizzie... it's only the two of us here. Will you relax? It's fine." He slowly rolled over to the other side and stood up. "We should get ready. We're having lunch out on the lake today. I somehow have the feeling that you've wormed your way into old Sonny's heart."

"So it's lunch with the Gambinos again? Great," Liz groaned.

"You don't sound very pleased, Lizzie."

"Do you even realize how drunk I had to get his son to get the information? And let me tell you this guy is not shy when he's drunk." Something dangerous flashed in Red's eyes at her revelation.

"So? We'll just have to make sure he knows you're not up for grabs."

"And how?" The grin that spread over his face did nothing to settle her uneasiness. "Red?..."


	3. Chapter 3

"I wish I hadn't said anything," She moaned for the umpteenth time. They were sitting in a limo on their way to the yacht, when Ray had let her in on his plan.

"Lizzie, you could at least try to not sound as if the mere thought of being in a relationship with me is going to make you vomit," He retorted, his usual smugness gone.

She then realized that her comment must had really hurt him, and put a hand on his arm. "Red, I didn't mean it like that," She said as they pulled onto the parking lot.

He chose not to answer as he exited the vehicle and was greeted by Salvatore.

They were having drinks on the deck, and Liz had been glad when Red had taken the vacant seat next to her so that Sonny and his seemingly always leering son had to sit across them. Red had yet to acknowledge her, and she could practically feel the anger and hurt radiating from him.

"Liz, how do you like Italy so far?" Sonny addressed her, pulling her out of her thoughts.

"It's beautiful here. I'm glad Ray finally caved and took me with him," She answered, placing her hand on Red's thigh, giving him a soft smile and leaning closer so their shoulders were touching.

"Raymond! You haven't taken her with you? A lady like Liz needs to be spoiled, my old friend. Though I must admit I am surprised," Sonny said, leaning forward, "I thought you never mixed business with pleasure."

"I'd normally agree. But I just had to make an exception with his lovely lady. I mean, how could I not?" Red covered her hand with his and leaned in to place a gentle kiss on her cheek.

After a while Liz felt bolder and started inching her hand to Red's inner thigh, drawing circles here and there, enjoying the flexing of his muscles under her gentle assault. By now Red had opted for an arm around her back, his thumb running over her skin just below her breast and she knew this was his payback. He probably didn't think she would go any further, but Liz was feeling brave today.

Whether it was from trying to get rid of Arcangelo, or simply because she wanted to make it up to Red, she didn't know. But what she did know was that she was having fun torturing him. So she took it took one step further, and let her hand glide further along the inside of his thigh, her wrist brushing the seam of his pants. She could hear his breath hitch, and his thumb was pressed harder into her ribcage.

-

After lunch they were walking back to the limo. Red still had an arm around Liz' shoulders, knowing full well they were being watched by the Italians.

"You sure were bold back there, Lizzie. My, my what's gotten into you?"

She snuck her own arm around his waist so she could pull herself closer. "Well, that was fun." She pressed a kiss to his cheek, simply for her benefit. "I'm sorry, Red. I really didn't mean it like that. Earlier, I mean."

"It's alright, Lizzie -"

"No. No, it's not," She interrupted, "I really didn't mean it. I... I'm just tired of pretending." They both knew she was talking about her failing marriage.

Red kissed her temple and pulled her closer to his side.

"I'm done pretending."

-

The ride back to their hotel was uneventful and soon they were back in their suite. Liz flopped onto the sofa, stretching her body across the piece of furniture.

"I have to talk to Dembe, do you need anything?" Red asked standing by her head.

"Nu uh," She mumbled, her eyes already closed.

"I won't be long," He said, leaning down and placing a kiss on her forehead.

Liz was about to fall asleep when a knock at the door rattled her. She groaned and stood up. Leave it to Red to not let her sleep. "Damn it, Red, I was this close to -" She stopped her rant when the door opened and revealed another person.

"Hello, Liz. May I come in?" Arcangelo didn't wait for a reply as he stepped past her and walked into her bedroom.

"Angelo, what are you doing here?" She asked, following him.

"Reddington is out, huh? That little display of affection earlier. Was that to make me jealous?"

She had a bad feeling about this guy. "Certainly not. Will you excuse me, I have to use the bathroom," She lied, fully intending to call Red.

Suddenly she was slammed into the door, her face against the wood. "I don't think so. You like being chased, right babe? I'm sure you like it rough. How about right here against the door?"

Liz's heart was pounding, but she forced herself to calm down. "Arcangelo, let go," She told him firmly, trying to press away from the door.

His hands were starting to wander and she could already feel him harden against her backside.


	4. Chapter 4

Reddington walked into the suite. He had discussed some plans with Dembe and was now looking forward to spending some quiet time with his favorite FBI agent. The first thing he noticed was that she wasn't where he had left her. He had thought she would be asleep on the couch. Then he heard muffled voices coming from Liz's bedroom and he crept closer, coming to an abrupt halt. He could feel the white, hot anger seeping through his veins and was about to open his mouth, when he heard Liz's voice.

"For the last time, Angelo, let go."

"Come on, bella. Be good and spread those fine legs." Red opened the door a crack and watched as she slammed her elbow into Arcangelo's stomach then turned around, ready to attack again. "Damn it!" The Italian cursed, catching his breath. "You little whore," He exclaimed and slapped her across the face, her head hitting the wall behind her

That was when the Italian felt someone turning him around. Before he had even registered what was happening, he had Red's fist connecting with his face one, two, three times, before being thrown against a wall. There was blood running down his face, dripping to his chest. "You even think about her again, I will kill you," Red whispered dangerously, before punching him again and knocking him unconscious.

"Lizzie," He walked to where she was still standing, leaning against the wall.

"I'm okay," She said, but he ignored her and gently took her face in his hands, inspecting the cut on her lower lip as well as the already bruising skin on her cheekbone.

"Let's go to my room. I'll have Dembe clean this up." He led them towards his room, calling Dembe, while letting his free hand run up and down her arm. "Will you please take care of the mess in Lizzie's room? We'll also need some ice. Yes, thank you." He disconnected the call and sat her on his bed, then gave her a smile and squeezed her shoulder. The door opened and Dembe came in, carrying a bowl of ice cubes. "Thank you, my friend." He took the offered bowl and set it on the nightstand.

"I will take care of the mess now. Call me if you need anything," Dembe told them and pulled the door shut.

"Alright. Lizzie, Sweetheart, this is going to hurt a little," Red told her and settled down on the bed, moving so he could lean against the headboard. "Come here." He patted his legs and Liz scooted towards him, placing her head in his lap. He gently stroked some errant strands of hair from her face and held one of the cubes against the soft skin. She frowned a little and then closed her eyes. Red's right hand was resting against her hip, gently holding her in place as he ran the rapidly melting cube from her cheek to her split bottom lip. The icy water ran down the side of her face and down her neck, making her wiggle when it hit a ticklish spot. He smiled at her and caressed the skin of her hip under her blouse with his thumb.

Liz took his hand, the one at her hip, in hers and pulled it upwards, trying to get a glimpse at it. She gently touched his knuckles, running her fingers over the broken skin. "You should put some ice on your hand," She suggested.

"I'm good, Lizzie. I'm kind of used to it," He joked.

"Still. You don't want swollen knuckles," She said and took the ice cube from his hand and put it to his reddening knuckles. Some of the icy water dropped to her slightly exposed stomach, landing close to her belly button and Red couldn't resist. He pulled his injured hand from her grip and traced the path the water had run down. He studied her features; her closed eyes, her parted lips. She was perfect. Red took another ice cube and slid it over her parted lips and down her chin, heading for her cleavage. She bucked into the touch and opened her eyes. Her pupils were dilated, making them look almost black. She had covered his hand that was lying on her stomach and was slowly inching it further up, making sure that it was actually under her blouse.

Red was looking at her. A mixture of surprise and lust in his gaze. He followed her lead and stroked his hand past her ribcage, but letting only his thumb brush against the side of her breast. "You're killing me," she moaned.

"But what a lovely way to die," He replied before pulling her up and covering her mouth with his.

Liz snuck one hand around his neck, pulling herself upright without leaving his mouth. Her short fingernails scratched over his scalp, making him hum against her lips. She loved the way he tasted. He tasted of scotch and cigars and so unmistakably Red. She pressed even closer to him and then hissed when her split lip was jarred.

Red held her face in his hands, pulling away to look at her. "There's not need to rush this, Sweetheart," He chuckled, letting his thumb slide carefully over the broken skin.  
Liz grabbed him by the collar of his white dress shirt and pulled him flush against her. Their mouths met again and their tongues dueled for dominance. "You're really... not... the patient... kind of... woman," Red ground out between kisses, his hands were now roaming over her back, his fingertips ghosting over her spine.

This was surreal. She just couldn't stop. She wasn't even thinking of Tom, but it wasn't like there was anything left between them, since she had told him that she was having doubts about their marriage; she didn't love him anymore. Red was her safe harbor. Her rock. He had never lied to her and was always there to protect her; it had almost ended his life once. She was startled out of her thoughts, when he began kissing along her jaw towards her neck, and started nipping the skin over her pulse.

His hands were starting on the buttons of her blouse, only very slowly, driving her crazy. She could already feel her body's eagerness and arousal. That tingling feeling of anticipation in her stomach. His lips were trailing further down her body, following his working fingers. And, my god, his lips were soft, so very soft and talented. He had reached the last button on her blouse and was placing a kiss just below her belly button, before quickly dipping the tip of his tongue in, electing a low moan.

Red stopped a moment to simply look at her. "You're so beautiful, Lizzie," He said, and she opened her eyes to see if she had imagined those words. Seeing him looking right back at her, made her blush. Liz grabbed him by the front of his shirt, pulling him towards her again and began to suck on his neck, fighting with his button-down. She groaned, frustrated with the cloth. "This needs to go." Red chuckled which turned into a moan when she had found the right spot on his neck. "Now!" Liz said, tugging at his shirt.

Red pushed himself to his knees and started unbuttoning, his eyes never leaving hers. She placed her hand in the middle of his chest, her fingers raking through the soft curls of his chest hair. Red unbuttoned her jeans and pulled down the zipper, before pushing the pants down her long legs. As she was laying there, wearing only her bra and panties, he let his hands slide over her inner thighs, only brushing over her cotton-covered sex.

"You don't have to. I can't," She said.

Red looked at her, confusion clear in his eyes. "Can't?"

She blushed again. "Can't come."

He raised an eye-brow. "And why would you say that?" He asked, and Liz only averted her eyes. "You've never had an orgasm." It was more a statement than a question. "Tom must be quite the disappointment."

Liz shook her head. "No, it's really my fault."

Red gave her a predatory grin. "We'll get back to that later."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! Next chapter will be explicit


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll just leave this here. Off to the gutter we go!

Kissing his way back up her body, Red slipped his hands underneath her and opened the clasp at her back. He took his time slipping the straps down her delicate shoulder, all the time nibbling and sucking at her collarbone. When her perfectly shaped breasts were fully exposed to the cold air, Red instantly covered one with his hand, while working his mouth on the other one.

Liz bucked up and moaned, when he gently rolled her nipple between his lips, letting his tongue slip over it. Abandoning her breasts, after making sure that both of them had been given the same amount of attention, FBI's most wanted number four started pulling down her purple colored panties, placing a kiss on her abdomen.

As he saw her laying before him, wearing absolutely nothing, he knew that he would never be able to love anyone but her. Red lowered his head and slowly dipped his tongue between her folds, letting it draw small circles over her clit. She was already sopping wet and ready for him and her moans of pleasure turned him on to no end. He put his thumb on her little knob, stimulating there, while his tongue found her hole. She was wiggling and her muscles kept clenching and unclenching. Reddington couldn't believe that his Lizzie was unable of feeling the joy of an orgasm. The way her body kept responding to his actions didn't go unnoticed by Red and he knew that she must be close, hence her prior comment.

Kissing his way back up her body, he expertly used only one hand to get rid of his trousers and boxers, positioning himself between her legs. She was flushed, her eyes closed, lips partly opened. The jugular pounding against the soft skin of her throat. he cupped her cheek in his hand, letting his thumb grace over her bottom lip. "Lizzie," he said softly, getting her attention as she opened her and looked at him with heavy lids.

Red slipped the tip of his thumb between her lips, feeling her tongue ghost against the intrusion, accepting and caressing it. He started entering her, all the time keeping their eyes locked, seeing hers going almost black, rolling back into their sockets, before she closed her eyes, gently biting down on the digit between her lips. Red slid home in one swift motion, not stopping until his base was buried in her warm and wet center and Liz threw her head back, arching into him and grabbing on to his bicep, letting out a scream that turned to a loud moan as she climaxed, clenching around him.

Red couldn't take his eyes off her face. His grip on her hip tightened as he tried to regain control. He pulled back a little before sliding back in, making her ride out her high. He didn't let her calm down and settled for a steady rhythm instead, pulling almost out before sliding back in. Liz was gasping and moaning and wiggling, holding onto his biceps for support. It wasn't long before she came again, digging her short nails into his skin.

Red had a hard time holding on himself, but he didn't want it to end so soon, not when he knew that she had never experienced this feeling before. Without pulling out, Red pulled her up and on his lap, getting her to ride him. The change in position allowing him to slip even further into her. Liz threw her head back and he used it to his advantage and started nipping on her throat, gently biting the skin across her pulse. Red let his head fall to her chest and began to suckle on her nipples and Liz put her hand on the back of his head to hold him there, as she rode him, rolling her hips every now and then.

Pulling his head from her chest, Liz claimed his mouth in a fierce kiss, slipping her tongue between his lips, while Red fondled her breasts, meeting her strokes with motions of his own hips, making her climax a third time. He knew he was close. He couldn't hold on much longer, not with a woman like Lizzie in his arms... in his lap. He pushed her back onto the mattress and started pounding into her in earnest. Short, fast stabs into her very core, while his hands gripped at her hips, holding her there. not long after he heard moans getting louder again as she clenched around him.

"Oh my... oh god... yes... don't stop... Red!"

When he heard her favorite nickname for him during her fourth orgasm, he couldn't hold back any longer. He pumped into her a couple of more times, before climaxing, spilling himself deep within her. "Lizzie..." He breathed out and then collapsed on top of her, careful not to hurt her, he landed on his forearms.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks goes to jackandsamforever for beta-ing everything I write. That's gotta be tough!

Red slowly pulled out and rolled onto his back, lying next to her. "Can't come you said?" He joked, after catching his breath. She stayed silent, which started to worry him. Red turned on his side and studied her profile. She seemed distant, sad almost. "What seems to be the matter, Lizzie?" He asked and she just shook her head. He watched her swallow hard while a single tear made its way down the side of her face, running into her hairline.

Red took the blanket from the foot of the bed and threw it over them, then pulled Liz to his side. "Talk to me, Sweetheart," he whispered into her hair; she just buried her face into the crook of his neck.

"It's nothing." Her voice was low and fragile, wavering ever so slightly.

His thumb began drawing small circles on her hip. “Lizzie, you've never been able to lie to me. Did I hurt you?"

"No! No... it's... I'm sorry, I... I'm a little overwhelmed, sorry."

Red smiled into her hair. "I must admit I'm a tad overwhelmed myself. That was beautiful, Lizzie." He felt her smile against his skin. "And I'll say it again, Tom was quite the disappointment. He shouldn't have had just sex with you."

She chuckled. "Isn't that what we just had?"

"No, Lizzie. That was making love," He answered.

THE BLACKLIST

Liz was sure that her heart had stopped beating. Was that what it was like? Making love? She knew that Red had feelings for her and she had feelings for him, but she couldn't quite identify what those feelings were. Was he in love with her? Could she possibly love him? A criminal? The FBI's number four most wanted? The Concierge of Crime?... But he wasn't just a job anymore, not just a criminal she was forced to work with. He had become someone she could trust, a friend even; being with him made her feel safe.

He was always a gentleman; making sure she was taken care of. The flirting was fun too and she adored that little smile that he gave her often. He wasn't perfect, by any means, but the she was far from perfect herself. Maybe it could work between them. Yes, they were dysfunctional, but did it really matter?

"Lizzie, you left me. Where are you?" His voice pulled her from her thoughts and she knew that she had been quiet for some time.

She pulled away to look him in the eyes. His gaze held none of the usual smugness, instead there was something warmer in them, and a hint of anxiety. He clearly wasn't sure how she would react, and that made her feel even better, knowing that even the always sarcastic Reddington was nervous about what she would say. She watched his Adam's apple bob and decided that she had tortured him long enough. Before he could open his mouth, she crushed her lips to his, kissing him with everything she had. It didn't take him too long to respond, and soon she found herself on her back, while he kissed her passionately. His hands were already slipping over her body again, he couldn't stop himself. A knock on the door pulled them apart though.

"Raymond?" Dembe's voice came through the closed door.

Red groaned quietly and let his lips meet her collarbone again. "He's not going away," Liz said regretfully.

Red slid off of her and sat up on the edge of the bed. "What is it, Dembe?"

"There's someone who would like to talk to you."

"I'm busy, Dembe. Take care of it." Red sounded annoyed.

"Raymond."

Red raised a brown, then turned to Liz. "I'll be right back," he told her and turned to kiss her softly before standing up. He pulled on his robe and slipped through the door, leaving her alone in the bed.

Liz could hear muffled voices for a time, then heard Red's voice clearly as he walked back towards the room. "Tell him to come by in an hour." He came in and closed the door behind him. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, change of plans. While I do wish that we could stay here for the rest of the day, there is something I need to take care of."

She slid out of the bed, the blanket falling from her body and leaving her nude in front of him. His eyes held hers, never wavering. "We could share a shower. You know, save some water," she suggested.

He cocked his head to the side and smiled. "I thought you'd never ask."

"No dirty thoughts, Reddington," she warned playfully, walking towards the en-suite bathroom. She instantly felt him at her back, his arms around her body as they walked through the open door.

"Why, are you going to arrest me, Agent Keen?" He whispered, nibbling at her earlobe.

"We'll see. Come on, I'll wash your back, you wash mine."

THE BLACKLIST

"Alright, so the saving water part didn't go as planned," Liz said as she dried herself with a towel. "But that's your fault." She mock-accused him.

Red was already pulling on some pants. "I'll take the blame, but you're just too damn irresistible. I am just a man after all." He had walked over to where she was standing, putting his arms around her waist.

"Yeah, right." Her tone was mocking. He kissed her exposed shoulder and she leaned into his embrace. "Go." She nudged him, "You have something to do."

"I'll be back before you know it," Red whispered into her ear and quickly finished getting dressed.

THE BLACKLIST

Liz stayed in the bedroom and finished dressing, and was now going through his toiletries bag, looking for his aftershave. She was going to buy it once she was back so she could pretend he was close when he wasn't. She heard the front door open, and she could make out several voices in the living room, but couldn't quite hear what was being said.

"Oh, the hell you didn't!" She jumped when Red's voice came through loud and clear. He sounded mad, which was certainly something new for her.  
"Lizzie?" Her head snapped to the door, but she wasn't sure she had heard correctly. "Lizzie, Sweetheart, would you please come join us." That sounded more like her favorite criminal.

She walked to the door and opened it, then walked into the living room.

"God almighty, you did this?!" Salvatore Gambino spat at his son. He stood and walked towards Liz, carefully placing a hand against her cheek; she tried not to flinch. "I hope you are not hurting anymore, mio caro." He let his thumb trace the small bruise on her cheekbone. Then he turned to his son. "What the hell has gotten into you?! Hitting a woman?! I did not raise you like that!"

"Papa -"

"No! You will face the consequences for this. Are you trying to embarrass me? Get out of my sight," He yelled. "Good lord, at least have the decency to apologize."

Arcangelo stood awkwardly by the sofa. "I am sorry, Liz. I wasn't myself earlier and I apologize." He Liz didn't know how to respond. Arcangelo's face was swollen, colors of red and blue and purple all over his face. After Red had hit him, Dembe surely hadn't shied from continuing himself.

"Raymond, my sincerest apologies. Please be assured that I will take care of this," Salvatore said.

Red nodded. "I'm sure you will."

"My deepest apologies, Liz. Please enjoy the rest of your stay. I will cover all of your expenses." With another nod to Red, Salvatore left the room with his son and his bodyguard.

"Did I miss something?" Liz asked once the room was cleared.

"Well, old Sonny wanted to know what had happened to his precious boy," Red answered sarcastically.

She walked to where he was sitting in an armchair, coming to a stop in front of him. Their eyes locked, but neither moved. "Angelo did look a little under the weather," she said.

"He hurt you" Red stated, taking hold of her left hand, gently caressing her scar. "Nobody hurts you and gets away with it." His jaw flexed.

"You saved me," she squeezed his hand, "Again." She thought back to Anslo Garrick and how she had almost lost him.

"I will always save you, Lizzie."

Liz imagined herself straddling him and kissing him senseless, then making love with him. He had managed to make her feel like no one ever had before. Now that she knew what all the fuss was about, she couldn't stop. It excited and scared her to no end. She was falling for him and she knew it.

"Sometimes I wonder what goes on in that beautiful head of yours." His low voice pulled her out of her thoughts and her eyes focused on his face again.

"I thought you always knew what's going on?"

He stood and took her face between his hands. "Your eyes tell a lot of stories, and it can certainly be confusing sometimes. "You're an enigma, Lizzie, my blind spot."

She laughed, not able to stop herself. "I'm the enigma?"

Red smiled. He loved her laugh. "The most beautiful enigma there is," he said, before pulling her in for a kiss.

She moaned into his mouth, grabbing onto his vest. The feeling of his lips against hers made her crazy. His scent was overwhelming, she loved it. She moved her lips along his jaw, down to the scar she had given him, gently tracing it with her tongue, when she heard him drawing in a sharp breath.

Encouraged by the noises he was making, Liz let her hands drift from the front of his vest to his sides, skimming down before coming to a stop at his waist. He had one of his hands buried in her hair, his other hand clutched the small of her back, holding her body firmly against his. The hand in her hair tightened, when she suddenly sucked his earlobe into her warm, wet mouth. Liz let her right hand slide further down until she felt his belt buckle. She didn't know what had driven her to be this bold, but she wanted him, badly. She cupped him through the thin fabric of his trousers and his hips jerked into her touch. The loud moan that escaped his lips, made her blood boil and she went back to feasting on his neck, sucking on her newly discovered favorite spot, while squeezing his rapidly hardening arousal.

Then there was a knock on the door. "Raymond, the limo's ready." Came Dembe's voice through the door.

Lizzie had almost missed it. Her blood was rushing through her veins and the ocean-like sound was pretty much all she could hear. His hand was on the one cupping him now, gently grasping the wrist. He turned his head and kissed the shell of her ear. "What you do to me," he panted.

She released him then, letting her hand go lax in his. "Limo." Was all she said, and Red realized that his friend was probably still standing by the door.

"We're coming, Dembe."

"Not quite coming yet," Liz whispered cheekily, before pushing away from him.

Red tightened his fingers around her wrist, pulling her flush against him, making sure that she could feel his arousal. He smiled at her. "What has gotten into you, sweetheart?"

"You," She replied, pecking him on the lips, before turning and walking towards the door; actually leaving the Concierge of Crime speechless.

THE BLACKLIST

It had taken Red a few moments to... adjust himself before he joined Dembe and Liz in the hallway. Looking at his long time friend, he could see the smirk the younger man was trying hard to suppress. Dembe surely knew what was going on between Liz and himself by now.

They were sitting in the limo, Dembe was driving as usual and Red seemed a little uncomfortable in his pants.

"Where are we going?" Liz asked.

"You'll see when we get there," Red answered, shooting her a smile.

"That's not fair!"

"You're complaining to me about fairness?"

Liz bit her bottom lip. "You could always let me take care of that for you," she whispered seductively.

"You do realize that the old bastard is listening to us?" He had raised his voice at the end, making sure Dembe had heard him. He heard the man behind the wheel chuckle, before using the switch to close the window in between them.

"Something he shouldn't hear?"

"I don't share," Red replied, possessiveness showing in his eyes and voice.

"Neither do I," Liz answered, tracing a path up his inner thigh with her finger.

Red captured her hand and placed a kiss on her knuckles. "What has gotten into you?" He asked again.

She sighed. "I don't know."

He could see the honesty in her eyes. "You know that we don't have to rush this, sweetheart." He leaned in close, so he could whisper in her ear. "This was certainly not the last time. We have all the time in the world." Somehow he always seemed to know exactly what was bothering her.

Her eyes met his, a flash of uncertainty in hers. "Promise?" She asked softly.

Something tugged at his very core at the tone of her voice. "Ah, sweetheart, I promise you that," He replied and took her lips in a loving kiss.

THE BLACKLIST

That night they had had dinner at a beautiful, but small restaurant in the village. No one knew English, so Red was left to speak for her in what sounded like fluent Italian, at least it sounded fluent to her ears.

When they had returned to their hotel that evening, they had ended up in his bedroom, with Red making love to her again.

She felt like she was in heaven and wondered how she had lived before he had come into her life.


	7. Chapter 7

Being back in Washington a couple of days later felt weird. Liz wasn't sure how they would continue with their newly found closeness. Or if they even would. He had kissed her goodbye at her house and then left, letting her know that they would be bringing down Gambino soon.

The first night back she was alone with Hudson. Tom was at a conference that was supposed to last a week; he had left her a note telling her so. At the bottom it said 'Tom' and nothing else. She knew that they had to decide sooner or later what they were going to do about their disintegrating relationship. Lying in her bed, she felt alone. She already missed Red, missed him dearly. As if sensing her sadness, Hudson whined and jumped onto the bed and curled into her side. She ruffled his fur and dropped a kiss on his head, when her phone vibrated. She had just gotten ready for bed, if that was Ressler again...

"Keen," she answered without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello, Lizzie."

It was him. His voice held the usual softness it carried whenever he was talking to her.

"Hi." She smiled into the dimly lit room, cuddling Hudson again her.

"It's quite late, shouldn't you be in bed?"

"I am in bed. I'm just having a problem falling asleep," she told him, imagining how his arms felt wrapped around her.

She heard him clear his throat. "We seem to be having a similar problem then."

"You could come over. We could sleep together." Her innuendo was clear to both of them, and he laughed.

"I wish it were that simple." She heard some voices in the background and it sounded like he was covering the mouth piece. A few moments later he was back. "I have to go, Lizzie. You should get some sleep."

"Wait!" She called out and then realized how pathetic she must have sounded. "You're not coming over?"

Red sighed. "I'm not in Washington, Sweetheart. I'll see you soon."

Before she could say anything else, she heard a click and the line went dead. Sleeping was definitely not something that would come easy to her now.

THE BLACKLIST

That call had happened 3 months ago. it had been three long months since she had heard from Red. He had left directions on how to capture Gambino and his crew, but hadn't showed up since then. At first Liz had been upset, she had even cried some days. The first month had been hell, she had worried that he had already had enough of her, that maybe she wasn't enough for him after all. She had turned mad shortly after, throwing things and cursing him when Tom wasn't home.

Ressler and the others at the Post Office had asked her about Red's whereabouts, as if she knew anything about the man.

THE BLACKLIST

She had just gotten home after a sixteen hour shift and was more than exhausted. She took off her jacket and threw it in the general direction of a chair, missing it by a mile. She stopped dead in her tracks then, noticing a figure on her couch. Hudson raised his head and wagged his tail, before dropping his head on the lap again, Red's lap.

"What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Hello, Lizzie," he said, smiling at her.

"Wonderful watch dog," she said under her breath and started walking away.

Liz didn't notice him following after her until he had grabbed her by the arm, trying to keep her from leaving. As soon as his fingers closed around her bicep, she turned and slapped his face with everything she had. The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed loudly through the room. Shaking off his hand, the FBI agent continued towards the bedroom.

"Get the fuck out of here, Reddington," she told him, her voice dangerously low.

Red was stunned into silence. His cheek was burning and he wondered if he could see the mark her fingers must have left. He'd been slapped before, even by Lizzie, but never like that. Maybe she intended to take off his head in the process. For once in his life, Red wasn't so sure about how to proceed. He knew that she didn't want to see him right now, but if he left, that would be the end of everything that might be between them. So he did the only thing he could do at the moment.

He sat back down on the couch and waited for her to calm down.

THE BLACKLIST

After a while Liz thought he'd left. Though she didn't feel much like eating, her stomach kept grumbling. So she walked into her kitchen to find something to eat. "You must be joking," she said upon seeing him on her couch again.

"I wanted to give you a chance to calm down," Red answered as he stood.

Obviously that had been the wrong thing to say.

"Calm down?! You're telling me to calm down?! Are you fucking kidding me?!"

He frowned at her. "Lizzie, I know this must be very difficult for you, but that language -"

"Fuck you, Reddington," she interrupted. "You vanish for months, and then have the nerve to wait for me in my house, telling me to watch my language?! I want you to leave right now. Go to hell, you bastard," she screamed at the top of her lungs.

He stepped closer to her. "Lizzie."

"Get lost. I swear I'll shoot you, Reddington." Her voice was full of venom.

"Listen, Sweetheart -" he tried again, creeping closer.

"Don't you dare to call me that. I told you to leave. Now."

He was within touching distance now. "I don't just vanish. Everything I do is to keep you safe,” he told her.

"Go play the good Samaritan card somewhere else."

"Lizzie, Sweetheart -" he had already expected another blow, had counted on it even, so he was prepared. He grabbed her wrist, before she could hit him again, using her surprise to spin her around, securing her left arm at her back and pushing her down on the breakfast bar, pinning her right arm under her.

"Let me go, you bastard!" She screamed, struggling violently against his hold. Red had to lean his body against hers to keep her restrained.

"Lizzie, you're going to hurt yourself, if you don't stop this." He tried to reason.

"You're the only one hurting me," she spat through clenched teeth.

He sighed deeply. "That was never my intention."

She stopped struggling, but he could still feel the anger vibrating from her. "Let go, Reddington."

"I just want to talk to you, Lizzie," Red said, dropping a kiss on her shoulder.

"Well, I want you to leave. Looks like we're both not getting what we want." She snarled.

His thumb started making small circles on the scar on her wrist, trying to calm her down. "Lizzie, I had to leave. There was an imminent threat to your life, and you should know by now that I won't let anything happen to you," he told her.

"Oh and you couldn't pick up your phone and tell me that?!"

"I couldn't. It was too risky."

She didn't answer, and he thought that he had maybe gotten through to her. That was until he heard the slight hitch in her breathing. Red shifted slightly to get a better look at her, but all he could see where the tears streaming down her cheeks. She wasn't making any noise, wasn't moving. Her eyes were shut tightly and her lips were firmly pressed together. He had done this to her. had left her feeling like she wasn't worth anything. It pained him to see her like that.

"Oh, Sweetheart." He gently pulled her upright and turned her around. She didn't fight him, instead she threw herself into his chest, her hands clutching the back of his vest and buried her face in the crook of his neck. He instantly felt the hot tears seep through the thin fabric of his dress shirt and held her even closer. "I didn't mean to make you worry, but your well-being is always my top priority, Lizzie," Red said, placing a kiss into her hair.

He let her cry for a while, almost biting through his lips when he heard her heart-broken sobs. "I missed you," she whispered, her voice sounded foreign, even to herself. She began to pull herself together, finally getting a grip and only sniffling a few times.

"I missed you, Sweetheart. Missed you so very much," He replied. He finally had his loving and forgiving Lizzie back. He didn't know how much more of that foul-mouthed, aggressive Liz he could've taken.

She pulled back slightly, looking into his eyes. Her cheeks were wet, her face was flushed and her eyes were red-rimmed and puffy, but still she managed to look like most beautiful woman on the planet. He took her face in his hands and gently wiped her tears away with his thumb. "I missed you," he said again.

One of her hands slipped to the nape of his neck, settling there and grabbing onto some of the short-cropped hair. Liz leaned forward and placed a small kiss on his lips, then pulled back to see his reaction, but found herself pressed against him as he locked his mouth over hers.

He kissed her with everything he had, putting all his love and affection in it, trying to show her how sorry he was for making her feel like that. When they pulled apart, her tears had stopped and her breathing had almost returned to normal, only hitching now and then.

"Lizzie, Sweetheart, remember what I read to you?" He asked her.

She looked slightly puzzled for a moment and Red could see the wheels turning in her head. She must have remembered something because her eyes shot to his, searching for humor or anything that told her she might be wrong.

"Red?" Her voice sounded small, unsure.

He smiled at her, knowing full well that she knew what he had meant. He settled his hands on her waist. "Lizzie... 'Never doubt I love'."

THE BLACKLIST

She could feel tears pricking at her eyes again and buried her face in his chest, she couldn't say anything. Red would never push her, and she was thankful for that. Technically she was still married, even though she hadn't touched Tom in over three months. It was not for his lack of trying though. She wasn't even torn between her feelings between the two men. She wanted Red. Loved him even, but she wouldn't voice it, couldn't. Too great was her fear of getting hurt again. She sniffled again and felt him rubbing circles over her back.

"Sweetheart, this is imported Egyptian cotton and I'm afraid these make-up stains are not going to be easy to get rid of," he said, his voice soft, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

She pulled back. "I'm sorry."

Red gave her a smile. "We should wash that immediately. Why don't you start with my buttons, while I get yours undone."

She laughed out loud and he loved it. Loved that he had made her laugh like that. She leaned forward and kissed him soundly. "You're unbelievable, Reddington." This time she said his last name with affection.

"Indulge me," he said, quickly undoing the first buttons on her blouse, before attacking the newly exposed skin with his lips.

She moaned at the contract and let her fingernails scratch over his scalp. "As much as I'd love to take this somewhere else, Hudson needs his walk," Liz told him.

"I'm sure Dembe will be more than happy to go for a walk." Red answered without breaking their contact.

She pushed at his shoulders. "Dembe's here?"

"Waiting in the car," Red said. "He's my protection detail. I wasn't sure if you were going to hit me again."

She softly touched the cheek she had hit. "Did it hurt?"

"Yes."

"Good," she said and he huffed a quiet laugh.

"I should thank my lucky start you didn't hit me with your fist. I would rather not be on the receiving end of your punch."

Liz bit her lip. "I had actually considered punching you, but I didn't want to demolish that handsome face," she told him.

Red raised a brow. "For future reference. Your point came across just fine."

She let her thumb graze the still red mark. "Does it still hurt?"

"I'll live," he answered. "You could always kiss it better though." Liz leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. He hummed in appreciation. "I don't know how you did it, but you kind of hit my mouth in the process," he said cheekily. "I have no idea how, but -"

She silenced him with her mouth, moving her lips passionately over his. His tongue quickly invaded her mouth, dueling with hers as he lifted her up onto the breakfast bar without breaking contact. Her legs moved around his hips, her ankles crossed at his back as she pulled him against her. Red let out a groan as his hands started working on her buttons again. He pushed her onto the cold surface and Liz knocked down a fruit bowl, crashing it to the floor, but neither of them cared. He kissed down her cleavage while opening the button on her jeans.

"Red, dog," she moaned.

"My dear, I'm quite busy at the moment,” he told her, pulling her jeans down, taking her shoes off in the process.

She pulled him to her by the lapels of his shirt. "Red. If my mind's preoccupied with Hudson's well-being, I won't be able to show you just how much I want you," she whispered huskily, her fingers trailing down his chest.

He made a noise between a growl and a moan as he grabbed her phone from the breakfast bar and quickly punched in a number. "Dembe, please take Hudson for a walk." He disconnected and put the phone down again. Red looked at her for a split second, before pulling her upright and into his arms, lifting her off the bar.

Liz shrieked and started laughing. "Red, what are you doing?!" She asked when he started towards the stairs.

"Carrying you. Sweetheart, you've lost some weight."

"I could afford it," she replied.

Red frowned, clearly displeased. "You haven't slept nor eaten as much as you're supposed to, Lizzie. I'm cooking tonight."

Liz had put her arms around his neck, playing with his short hair again. "You can cook?" She asked and then chided herself. She should never assume anything concerning the man. He only "mhm"-ed his answer as he began kissing her throat again, continuing towards their destination.

Once inside the bedroom, Red laid her out on the bed and climbed onto the mattress. "How did you know where my bedroom is?" She asked. "Never mind. Don't answer that, I don't want to know."

"Sweetheart, you ask too many questions," Red told her while they worked on the buttons of his vest and dress shirt.

She groaned in frustration, those buttons always took so long and all she wanted was to feel his skin on hers. "One of these days I will just rip this open," she told him.

Red laughed out loud. "Lizzie, Lizzie, Lizzie, always so impatient," he replied and pressed a kiss to her lips, helping her with his shirt after having abandoned his vest.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first 3 paragraphs are rated M for a reason

She was lying there in only her bra and panties, while he still had his pants on, after throwing vest and dress shirt on the floor. His lips were moving from her mouth, to her jaw, down her throat, only stopping to suck on her neck. His left hand was on the mattress, next to her head, holding himself upright, while the fingers of his right hand slid into her panties. He moaned against her collarbone as his digits came in contact with the wet skin. She was always so ready for him, it turned him on to no end.

She writhed against him as he started moving his fingers over the slick, hot skin. Liz moaned and bucked up. "Stop teasing me." She grazed her fingers over his neck. "Red... please... just fuck me." She said boldly.

He pulled back and looked at her. His pupils had widened, making his eyes look darker. "Lizzie..." His arousal was clear to both of them and he cleared his throat once. "Boys fuck girls. Men sleep with women. A king makes love to his queen," he said.

She swallowed hard. He always knew just what to say. And the look in his eyes made it almost unbearable not to ravish him. Liz locked her hands behind his head and pulled him closer, pressing a kiss to his lips. "Make love to me, Ray," she whispered against his mouth.

They made slow and gentle love and Red took his time to show her just how much he loved her. Afterwards Liz had curled around him, her arm thrown over his hip and her head tucked under his chin, as they tried to get their breathing back under control. He held her close, his fingers dancing over the soft skin at her back. "Red?"

"Yes, Sweetheart."

She nuzzled his chest with her nose. "Don't leave again."

"I'm right here."

"You can't say it, can you?" She asked and he only pressed a kiss into her hair. "You really can't say it." She pulled away, already fed up again. "What are we doing here? Why bother if you're just gonna leave again? Is this a game to you?!" She was too angry to even look at him and turned over on her side, ready to get out of the bed.

He grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his chest. "This isn't a game to me, Lizzie, but I told you that I would never let something happen to you. I won't let you get hurt and people will try. If it comes to that I will always choose to do whatever I need to do to keep you safe." He kissed her shoulder softly.

"Take me with you." She was squeezing his hand hard.

"Sweetheart, you have a life here -"

"But I won't have you. Take me with you, Red."

He sighed heavily, resting his forehead on her upper arm. "That would be considered treason. I won't let you do this." He tried to reason.

"You knew this before," she accused, "You should've just stayed away!"

"Yes," Red agreed, "I should stay away from you. Shouldn't visit, shouldn't call. I should vanish and let you live your life," he continued. Tears were already running down her face as she tried her hardest not to let him notice. Her heart was breaking... again and she couldn't even blame him. She had known what she was getting into, known that this would not be easy; but she had been blinded. First by excitement, then by love; and this love was tearing her apart. She felt his lips on the bare skin of her shoulder. "I can't seem to stay away though. I'm drawn to you. Like a moth to a flame... I hate to see you like this, Lizzie. I hate myself knowing that I hurt you."

She turned onto her back, the action making his hand slide to her belly. "Why are you telling me all this? You could just lie."

"No," he replied, his voice hard as he turned onto his back. "I won't lie to you. Yes, there are things I can't tell you, but I will never lie to you. You deserve better than that." He looked over to her and noticed the wet streaks. "Please don't cry," he whispered then, his eyes returning to the ceiling.

Liz looked at him now. His lips were pursed, he had a deep frown on his face and he was swallowing hard. She had never seen him like that. How could she possibly stay mad at him when he was just as hurt by this as she was? She turned onto her right side and snuggled up to him, placing a kiss on his chest, right over his heart. She let her lips rest there, enjoying the feeling of his strong heart beat, though it seemed to beat slightly faster than usual.

"Do you know why I will not accept your reasons?" She asked against his skin. Her voice was small and quivered slightly. Liz knew she had his utter and complete attention now. "Because I love you."

The Blacklist

Raymond Reddington was not one to ever be left speechless. He was a man who always knew just what to say, even if it were mostly sarcastic comebacks. He was an eloquent man. How Elizabeth Keen managed to shock him was a mystery. Most of the time it would be unconscious actions on her part, but sometimes it was her choice of words. He took a deep breath, not realizing that he had stopped breathing altogether. His heart was pounding violently against his ribcage. He hadn't heard those words in so long, and he honestly had not dared to hope to ever hear those words ever again.

He snapped back to the present when he felt her pulling away. That was when he realized that he had failed to answer her.

"I shouldn't have said anything. Just forget I said any -"

"Lizzie," he interrupted her, having found his voice. Red tightened his embrace, unwilling to let her leave right now. "Sweetheart... I must admit, you caught me off-guard. Give a man a minute after receiving a declaration of love from such a beautiful woman." He could feel her hesitation, could feel a mixture of confusion and fear radiating from her. "Lizzie, look at me. Look at me, Sweetheart." Her eyes raised to his. The way she looked at him hurt his heart. He gave her a smile, trying to ease the tension in her body. "I love you, Elizabeth," Red said, never taking his eyes off her. "I love you."

Liz's eyes widened and her heart skipped several beats. The she grabbed his face in both hands and crushed their lips together. He moaned against her mouth, quickly responding to her kiss. His free hand came to cup the back of her head, trying to pull her even closer. Liz ran her tongue over his bottom lip, making a noise of pleasure when he parted them to let their tongues meet.

Red flipped her on her back, not breaking the kiss, but kissing her even more passionately. He moved his lips down her jaw and started sucking on the juncture where neck met shoulder, relishing the fact she was scratching her nails over his back and scalp. She felt overwhelmed. Though confessing her love had been spontaneous, it had felt so right. If she was being truthful to herself, she had been affected by his charm from almost the beginning. Yes, he was a dangerous criminal, being number four on the FBI's most wanted list for a reason, but she knew that he would never hurt her, he could never physically hurt her and that gave her some power over him. It may not seem much, but for a man who was used to being in control, it meant a lot.

Red slowed his kisses down when he felt that her mind had drifted off. He pecked her once on the lips and pulled back to look at her. "Lizzie." His soft voice made her eyes snap open. "What's on your mind?"

"You," she answered instantly.

Red smiled at her. "Anything you would like to share?"

She ran the fingers of her left hand down the side of his face, brushing over his side burns and coming to rest on his cheek. She enjoyed how his eyes closed on their own, while he gently leaned into the touch.

"It's incredible how much I want you," she confessed. His eyes shot open. Had he really heard her right? "What? Cat got your tongue?" She teased, letting both her hands glide to the back of his neck.

Red let himself be pulled closer and he leaned in and closed the distance between their lips. "Please tell me I'm not dreaming," he whispered against her mouth.

It surprised her that Red was the one considering himself lucky to have her. Why, she didn't know. There were so many women out there, beautiful, intelligent women and Liz had seen some of the women he had been with. She wasn't in the same league as most of them.

His lips trailed down her face towards her ear, gently nibbling at the lobe. "You're thinking too much." His breath ghosting over her skin made her shiver and she leaned her head against his.

"Ray? Can I ask you something?" He pressed another kiss just below her ear and hummed his reply. "Why me? I've seen the women you've been with. They are beautiful, stunning actually and -"

"Lizzie," he interrupted again, raising his head to look her in the eye. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met. The thing about you is that you're not just incredibly beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside. You're kind and loving and have a wonderful sense of humor. I know that I can trust you, which is not a given in my position. I know that I can trust you to be faithful to me. I couldn't hope for more in a woman."

She looked at him in silence, actually too stunned to say anything. Red was still hovering over her, watching her closely, trying to gauge her reaction. Liz released a long breath and then smiled up at him, moisture already pooling in her eyes. "You're one of a kind, Red."

He chuckled and let himself be pulled against her again. They stayed in their embrace, his weight on her, for a few more minutes until he noticed her yawning. Rolling off of her, Red gently pulled her with him and then made sure that the covers were safely tucked around them. "You should get some sleep. Looks like you haven't gotten much of that recently." He raised a knowing eyebrow at her.

She kissed him softly, a gentle way to tell him to not go there now. "I'm actually way too tired to discuss my sleeping habits."

"Don't forget your eating habits," he teased, and was surprised to not get hit.

"Too tired for that, too." They both knew that she had meant hitting him.

Red cupped her face and pressed their lips together, kissing her slowly, but thoroughly. When he was done, he tugged her body closer, enveloping her in his arms.

"I love you.” He heard her say.

"I love you. Sweet dreams, Sweetheart," he replied, intentionally not using the term 'too' as it had always felt so impersonal to him. Liz sighed contently and fell asleep soon after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the support. Especially yours, jackandsamforever, you're the best!
> 
> ~ le fin ~


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